The Definitive Guide to Rifles, Ammo, and Optics: For Deer and Other Big Game

By Peter J. Fiduccia

If you asked a hundred big game hunters what the ideal deer rifle is, you’d get a hundred different opinions.

The same holds true for selecting ammo and optics. These topics ignite endless debates among hunters. The Definitive Guide to Rifles, Ammo, and Optics: For Deer and Other Big Game quells the confusion by offering in-depth comparisons and reviews to help you make informed decisions.

This book doesn’t stop there. It’s packed with fascinating and useful firearm and cartridge insights for hunting a variety of big game species, including larger deer like moose, elk, and caribou. Plus, it dives into rifles and ammo suited for hunting dangerous game animals like Cape buffalo, the great bears, bison, wild boar, and more.

No matter what type of rifle, ammo, or optics you’re looking for, or what kind of animals you plan to pursue, you’ll find a wealth of valuable knowledge in this one-of-a-kind resource.

Chapters include:

• Top 18 Guns: Caliber Choices for Deer and Other Big Game
• Straight Walls: The Benefits of Short, Fat, Powerful Cartridges
• Anatomy of a Kill Shot: Targeting Vital Organs for Quick, Ethical Kills
• Stopping Power: Selecting Rifles and Cartridges for Dangerous Game Hunting
• The Makeup of a Bullet: Specialized Bullet Designs for Big Game Hunting Success
• Lights—Camera—Actions! Choosing a Rifle Action
• Taming Baba Yaga: How to Mitigate Recoil to Improve Shooting Accuracy
• How Far Is Too Far? Recognizing the Limits of Sensible Shooting Distances
• Deadly Game Species: North America vs. Africa
• Through the Lens: Factors to Consider When Selecting Rifle Scopes

• Language: English
• Publisher: Skyhorse
• Release date: Nov 25, 2025
• ISBN: 9781510784369

Peter J. Fiduccia

Peter J. Fiduccia is one of the most recognized authorities in the deer hunting community, known throughout North America as the “Deer Doctor.” He is an award-winning journalist and has hosted the Woods n Water television series for more than thirty years. Fiduccia was the founder and consulting editor for Whitetail Hunting Strategies magazine and his writings have been published in ten books and numerous magazines. He lives with his wife, Kate, in Otsego County, New York.

Book preview

xi

Preface

______________________________

I like sporting guns because they are tools that help us fit into the natural puzzle; and fine sporting guns because they are wonderful objects.

—Stephen Bodio, Good Guns, 1986

What inspired me to write this book began many decades ago when I first began reading numerous outdoor magazine articles about how big game hunting was a concoction of woodsmanship, marksmanship, the anatomy, biology, and behavior of game hunted, and the importance of owning reliable firearms equipment. The more I read, the more I realized deer hunting was not just about killing deer. It entailed much more. But first, I realized if I wanted to become a big game hunter, I had to start my journey by owning a big game rifle.

Regardless of one’s age, owning your first rifle is an exhilarating and unforgettable milestone. It’s a moment etched into memory incorporating the finest of details, fated for future recollection in the years to come. For me, that moment unfolded when I was seventeen years old, six decades past. It was my father, who oddly did not hunt, who ushered me into this rite of passage, guiding me to acquire my inaugural rifle—a Marlin 336 Gold Trigger lever-action .30–30 with a 20-inch barrel.

From the moment I took the rifle from its box at home, I was instantly captivated. I held it for what seemed like hours smelling its newness, feeling its stoutness, and repeatedly working its lever action. It was a profound realization that this piece of steel and wood was now mine. I distinctly remember thinking, This rifle is my gateway to the realm of deer hunting. A prophecy it soon fulfilled. Such is the significance of my first rifle purchase, seared into memory.

Before embarking on my first deer hunt, I outfitted my Marlin 336 with a riflescope and stocked up on Remington .30–30 130-grain Core-Lokt Round Nose cartridges. Over the next couple of deer seasons, my .30–30, nicknamed Deadeye Dan, and I pursued whitetails from the southern tip of Orange County, New York, to the most northern expanses of the Adirondack Mountains, all in an attempt to bag a whitetail buck. Deadeye Dan and I were inseparable, until a fateful afternoon unfolded.

Sitting at the base of a weathered oak tree on the vast multi-thousand-acre expanse of International Paper Company’s woodlands near the tiny hamlet of Childwold, New York, bad luck found me. In a newly fallen light snowfall, I sat quietly at the base of the tree. My strategy was simplistic. I would wait quietly for an unsuspecting buck to pass by, and then I would shoot it.

The tranquil, snow-laden setting belied what was about to take place during my fourth deer hunt. Abruptly, a buck appeared. Its high, wide, four-point set of antlers sent a rush of excitement throughout my body. With bated breath, I took aim and fired at its lung area. The crack of the rifle shattered the stillness, causing the buck freeze in its tracks. Rather than instantly chambering another round and firing at the buck again, I stared dumbfounded at it as the buck indifferently looked around. I was fully expecting it to collapse to the ground. It did not! A mistake I would never make again.

My hesitation proved costly. Instead of swiftly chambering another round, I found myself locked in a gaze with the buck, its curiosity palpable. I worked the lever in an attempt to load another cartridge, but in my haste, I jammed the cartridge into the loading gate. I watched helplessly as the buck vanished into the Adirondack wilderness. After a diligent search over the new snow, I found no viable sign to indicate the bullet had hit the deer. Reluctantly, I concluded I missed it. I chalked up the entire incident to a case of the heebie-jeebies.

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The journey back to Brooklyn was laden with introspection. Recollections of Jack O’Connor’s writings flooded my mind, his fervent advocacy for the reliability of a bolt-action rifle echoed in my thoughts. It was then that I resolved to acquire another of O’Connor’s highly touted recommendations—a .270 Winchester Model 70 bolt-action rifle. I later christened her as Ol’ Betsy. Thus commenced my pilgrimage into the intricacies of rifles, cartridges, and optics.

The early seventies beckoned me to Crawford, Colorado, where fate intertwined my path with Jim Curry. His friends called him JC A purveyor of hunting expeditions, JC guided four to six clients per week to hunt for elk or mule deer on one or the other of his two small wilderness camps. One was on Electric Mountain in the Gunnison National Forest; the other was on the West Elk Mountain range not far from the hamlet of Hotchkiss.

On occasion, I helped JC during the hunting season. I found myself immersed in the rituals of a wilderness hunt, from packing gear into panniers on horses and mules at the trailhead, to evening campfire conversations at wilderness camps at day’s end. Around crackling flames, devoid of spirits (JC ran a dry camp) but rich in camaraderie, tales of the daily hunts unfolded. Amid discussions of game sightings and hunting tactics, conversations inevitably gravitated toward rifle calibers, cartridges, and optics. These nightly symposiums, though long-winded, yielded invaluable insights, complemented by the discussions of the articles of revered gun writers like Jack O’Connor and Peter Capstick.

My journey eventually culminated in a full-time career as a multimedia outdoor communicator (TV, radio, outdoor magazine articles, newspaper columns, and books). This career afforded me the privilege of field-testing a myriad of rifles, cartridges, and optics, enriching my understanding of and knowledge about of these subjects.

Over the years, I often thought about writing a book on rifles, ammunition, and optics aimed at novice and typical everyday hunters. Therefore, this tome intentionally avoids the highly specialized language and intricate information often found in texts aimed at seasoned firearm experts and those who delve deeply into these subjects. Instead, I will focus on practical, accessible information for novices, or typical Joe and Jane big game hunters.

In the realm of big game hunting, rifle actions, cartridges, and optics are indispensable allies, facilitating ethical and efficient kills. Every hunter should approach the selection of these tools with discernment and diligence, as they form the foundation of hunting success in the field.

Throughout this book, I share insights I have gathered over the past six decades. From the nuances of bullet selection to the recommendations of accurate shot placement, each chapter serves as a guide for both novice and average hunters that aspire to be more successful big game hunters.

In conclusion, I urge you to choose your big game hunting tools wisely and become intimately familiar with them. May this volume serve as a guiding light on your journey, illuminating the path to fulfillment and success in the timeless quest of stalking big game animals.

xiii

Introduction

______________________________

We kill the game to eat it. Tasting it, we thank it. Thanking it, we remember it: How we hunted it, how it tested us, how we overcame it, how it finally fell.

—Charles Furgus, A Rough Shooting Dog, 1996

On a bone-chilling Wyoming morning, I posted myself with steadfast resolve, leaning against the sturdy frame of a wide Gambel oak tree at the edge of the woods. My vantage point overlooked a well-used deer trail a few hundred yards across a narrow ravine. The trail cut through a dense thicket of quaking aspens intermingled with deciduous trees. I’d discovered the trail two days earlier. It was heavily marked with the telltale signs of buck activity—rubs and scrapes. So on this morning, I implemented my ambush strategy well before dawn.

By late morning, I had no sightings of buck activity, but my confidence remained unshaken. I knew it was only a matter of time before a buck would pass along the trail. Around midafternoon, though, my limbs protested with gnawing cramps and my body shook badly from the bitter cold. My patience was weakening. I was in dire straits, because this day was certainly testing my mettle more than most. I had to constantly remind myself that enduring discomfort is an inherent part of the hunter’s creed. So, with dogged determination, I refused to yield. I relied on my unwavering optimism to quell my discomfort and fleeting moments of doubt, resolute in my commitment to either see a buck or succumb to the frigid embrace of last legal light.

With only a couple of hours of the hunt remaining, a buck materialized from the shadowy recesses of the woods, approximately 350 yards away. With measured steps, it traversed the game trail, steadily closing the gap between us. At intervals, the buck paused to scrutinize the forest floor, likely in search of signs of a receptive doe. Seizing the opportune moment, I formulated my plan: I would wait for the buck to stop again, then take my shot as it stood broadside to me.

Despite my diminished hearing, the buck’s grunts resonated clearly as it drew nearer, around 150 yards away. With practiced precision, I emitted a low, burp-like grunt—a ploy that lured the buck to a standstill as it glanced my way. But it was too late, I had already sent the .270 WSM 150-grain Winchester® Power Point® to the buck’s shoulder blade. In an instant, it was over; the buck collapsed, its life extinguished before it knew what befell it. It wasn’t a record-breaking trophy, but a respectable 10-pointer nonetheless—that gave testament to my perseverance.

As I reflected on the hunt, I couldn’t help but marvel at the flawless performance of my gear: the rifle, action, cartridge, bullet design, and scope—all executed their roles with unparalleled precision. Yet, beyond the technicalities of gear, this experience underscored the profound significance of hunting, particularly the pursuit of whitetails and other big game. For hunters, the end of a big game hunting season heralds not closure, but renewed anticipation. It begins the endless countdown to the upcoming hunting season that sparks visions of taking our quarry.

As big game hunters, we immerse ourselves in the lore of the hunt, devouring every scrap of knowledge, exchanging tales with kin and comrades, all in fervent anticipation of the next adventure. This is the essence of the hunter’s life—a sacred tradition, rich in camaraderie and reverence for the game and the forests. And in this pursuit, the rifle, its ammunition, and optics aren’t only tools; they are extensions of a big game hunter’s passion, integral to our quest for the ultimate reward, meat on the table and antlers on the wall.

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An older man sits at a table, eating and holding a fork, with a plate of food and two glasses of beer in front of him.

After a successful day afield, hunters become further gratified by preparing their own wild-game table fare. During the frigid days of winter, my favorite venison recipe is a zesty and aromatic moose or elk stew; either provides an exquisite culinary cuisine! Credit: Fiduccia Enterprises.

1

Chapter One

We Hunt, We Kill, We Eat: The Moral Compass of the Hunter

______________________________

I kill it, I grill it.

—Ted Nugent, Kill It & Grill It, 2002

When I am confronted by those who question my passion for hunting, whether they stand in opposition or not, I meet their gaze unflinchingly. I offer no apologies, no veiled explanations. Nor do I conform to societal norms to justify my pursuit of deer and other game. For me, hunting is not mere killing of game; it is a visceral connection to life itself. In the crisp, frost-laden dawn, I find sustenance for my soul, not discomfort. In the silence of the wild, I discover comfort, not apprehension. I confront the stark reality of mortality with each hunt, acknowledging that death is an inherent part of hunting. I am, in essence, a predator in the eyes of my prey. I hunt, I kill, and I eat. As a hunter, I embrace the primal act of the kill without reservation or excuses.

Some anthropologists theorize that six to eight million years ago a four-legged chimpanzee-like hominin, also known as a great ape, dropped from a tree. Once its feet were firmly planted on the ground, it carefully scanned the savanna from all fours looking for the presence of predators. Not being able to see over the high brush and prairie lands, it began to cautiously push through the tall grass in search of food. Without the slightest warning, a large feline predator pounced from the cover, and with a single deep bite to its prey’s neck, the cat instantly snapped the small hominid’s spine.

A monkey stands in a grassy field, surrounded by tall grass and trees, under a cloudy sky.

Once early hominids were capable of standing on two legs and looking over the grasslands to avoid predators, their evolution as hunters began. Credit: ID 281377700 © Ianm35 | Dreamstime.com.

According to evolutionary biologists, about 4 million years ago in Africa, yet another similar primate jumped down from the canopy above. No one is sure how or why but some groups of apes, who were for the most part arboreal at that time, dropped out of the trees and began walking upright. A popular theory is that it first evolved to free the hands to carry food. Before leaving to forage for fruits and nuts, it, too, first vigilantly scrutinized the savanna grasslands in search of potential predators. By this time, however, 2the creature known as Australopithecus afarensis had evolved. Instead of looking through the grass on all four legs, this early hominin stood up on its hind legs and cast a wary eye both through and over the top of the grasslands. Only after she found no predators close by did Australopithecus afarensis have the chance to safely forage for her fruits and nuts. After gathering her bounty, she quickly walked upright back to the safety of the trees, climbed up into the canopy, and ate what she had collected.

Through the eons of time there are countless similar examples of evolutionary arms races between predators and their prey. That includes today’s hunters and their prey as well, with a steady ebb and flow between hunters developing new successful hunting tactics and deer and other game eventually evolving defensive adaptations to counter them. These adaptations are often portrayed between hunter and prey as reciprocal, with prey and predator acting as two sides in a ceaseless evolutionary battle of war, a rule that science refers to as coevolution.

About 1.9 million years ago, a new, taller, longer-armed and longer-legged bipedal hominid with the body blueprint of modern humans came onto the evolutionary scene. This hominid was different from its predecessors in several ways. The crucial divergence, though, was Homo erectus had developed a larger brain—an engine that required more energy than just fruits and nuts could supply. So, H. erectus became the first hunter and consumer of a much heavier diet of meat.

But Mother Nature had not finished sculpting her hominid models yet. About 250,000 to 300,000 years ago (which is regarded by biologists, anthropologists, et al. as a mere blink in evolutionary time), Mother Nature evolved Homo erectus into the larger brained, fleet-footed, and stronger Homo sapiens (who were primarily hunter–gatherers). They were the hunters and 3the gatherers during that era, and according to human evolutionary biologist at Harvard, Daniel Lieberman, Our species [Homo sapiens, hunter-gatherer] was as fit as today’s pro athletes. One of their most extraordinary behaviors was that they migrated from Africa around 60,000 to 90,000 years ago, and progressively and doggedly walked into every habitable crevice on planet earth.

This image depicts a 3D rendering of three men in loincloths hunting a large bison in a grassy field.

During humankind’s evolutionary periods, the rule of coevolution states that humans and their prey were kept in a constant state of development. Credit: ID 64241326 © Nicolas Fernandez | Dreamstime.com.

About 10,000 years ago, during a time known as the Neolithic period, another evolutionary step forward took place. The sole hominids left on earth were Homo sapiens (farmer). As H. sapiens moved across the planet, where they could, they settled down and began to raise crops and domestic animals for food consumption to survive.

This period is the time frame I feel a genetic departure took place in our DNA makeup. A separation that I speculate defines why some of today’s Homo sapiens hunt, and why some of them don’t. A genetic marker is a gene or DNA sequence with a known location on a chromosome that can be used to identify individuals or species. It can also be described as a variation that may arise due to a mutation or alteration in the genomic loci that can be observed.

Therefore, my conjecture is that some of today’s H. sapiens (industrial/post-industrial), a.k.a. the ultramodern us, still harbor a functional genetic marker that keeps some of our brains strongly bonded to principally being meat-eating hunters and other H. sapiens bonded to simply being farmers and gatherers (nonhunters). While there are no specific scientific facts about my supposition, I strongly believe one exists.

For those of us who actively seek out the hunt, simply for the love of the hunt itself, must, in my mind’s eye, have a hunting marker within our chromosomes. It encodes the genetic instructions responsible for why some people have a deep connection, or inherent 4desire, to hunt animals. It may well be a marker that is efficiently concealed deeply in our DNA and has not yet been identified by those in the scientific community. Realistically, biologists and other scientists are justifiably focused on identifying genome markers to help cure diseases rather than spending their valuable time trying to document a marker that compels some people to pursue the hunt, others not to, and still some to even loathe it.

The image depicts a group of people living in a cave, with a fire burning in the foreground.

Our earliest relatives were forced to hunt game in order to survive. Ten thousand years ago a departure took place and Homo sapiens transitioned from being solely hunters to hunter-gatherers. Credit: ID 45934995 © Hbcs0084 | Dreamstime.com.

Candidly, it is obvious that there is no doubt that today’s hunters do not do so predominantly for food or survival anymore. As a species, we no longer have to work hard to acquire food, nor work diligently to survive. Instead, those who hunt do so instinctively to satisfy a genetic urge to hunt wild game.

In the end, this is why I believe some people are inexplicably drawn to, and have a deep connection to, the craving of the hunt. And why other people have equally confounded feelings and deep-seated aversions to hunting. To some degree, my theory about having an inherited hunting gene also explains why some people consistently excel as hunters and others have to work harder at being successful hunters. My theory is that this is all due to the coding variants in relation to hunting. Consequently, all hunters who have inherited the hunting chromosome possess an instinctive aptitude to pursue game. If you nurture the awareness, you will inevitably develop higher levels of hunting skills that are naturally coupled with more hunting success. Lastly, by embracing the hunt for what it realistically is—the killing of game—you will become a hunter to whom the hunt matters most.

The earliest hunters were compelled to hurl stones that were mostly ineffective at their intended quarries. The next evolution was the prehistoric human who used long spears at close distances to snuff out game like the woolly mammoth. In their urgency to hunt for food, they often lost their lives. Over time, bows and arrows were used to kill game more effectively than ever before. Today, hunters use a wide array of hunting weapons to kill their game. Without question, rifles and ammunition are the most effective implements ever used by hunters. Herein are numerous chapters that will help you select the right rifle, ammo, and optics to be a more highly successful and skilled hunter.

5

The image depicts a DNA double helix with a blue background and various symbols and letters in the background. The DNA double helix is in the center of the image and is a 3D rendering. The background is blue and has various symbols and letters in the background. The symbols and letters appear to be related to science and are in a white font. The overall effect of the image is one of science and technology.

I firmly believe people are drawn to hunting because of a variant in their DNA. Their desire to hunt is instinctive. Credit: ID 59808832 © Nexusplexus | Dreamstime.com

6

The image depicts a man in camouflage gear holding a rifle, standing in a field of tall grass. He is wearing a camouflage hat and a camouflage jacket and pants, and is holding a rifle with a long barrel and a scope. The man is standing in a field of tall grass, with a cloudy sky in the background. The image appears to be a photograph of a hunter or outdoorsman, possibly taken during a hunting trip or while out in nature.

The most essential elements when buying a rifle include its caliber, fit, action, bullet availability, shooting comfort, finish, and the type of game hunted with it. Credit: Browning

7

Chapter Two

Top Eighteen Guns: Popular Calibers for Deer and Other Big Game

______________________________

I like sporting guns because they are tools that help us fit into the natural puzzle; and fine sporting guns because they are wonderful objects.

—Stephen Bodio, Good Guns, 1986

Throughout this book when I refer to deer rifle calibers, and cartridges, I am talking about them mostly being used to hunt white-tailed deer. However, the recommendations also apply to hunting all other popular North American deer species and also include antelope, mountain goat, black bear, 8bighorn sheep, and other big game. There is also a separate chapter on rifles and cartridges for hunting North American dangerous game such as razorback hogs, grizzly bears, Kodiak brown bears, polar bears, and other wild game that can cause serious injury or even death to a hunter.

The image shows a wall of guns on display in a store or shop, with many different types of guns visible. The guns are all displayed in a neat and organized manner, with some of them being held up by a metal bar or a wall mount. There are many different types of guns on display, including rifles, shotguns, and handguns. The background of the image is a wall, which appears to be made of wood or a similar material. Overall, the image suggests that the store or shop is a place where people can come to buy or learn about guns.

: Quality sporting goods stores, including big box and reliable independent retailers, have considerable choices of firearms from which to choose. Many local gun shops, like Mayhoods in Norwich, New York, provide customers with knowledgeable recommendations and advice. Credit: Fiduccia Ent.

At no time before has there been a better opportunity to buy a rifle for stalking whitetails and other big game animals. Why? Simply because many rifles today can qualify for exceeding a hunter’s expectations. Mostly because over the last decade the latest designs, manufacturing, methods, and high-tech materials have set the bar of quality quite high. The choices can be mind-numbing. Selecting a caliber, action, weight, length, and stock type can leave even a gun writer bewildered. The following are some of the most popular calibers. The list, in no particular order, includes cartridges that have proven to be worthy choices beyond any doubt. The following 18 cartridges are considered the most validated big game rounds that can be trusted for hunting a wide array of big game animals throughout North America and other places in the world.

9

.223 Remington

The .223 Rem. was created in the 1960s, and yes, it can bring down deer but only within its limitations. While some hunters claim it is an excellent whitetail round, an equal number claim the .223 is less than adequate for hunting deer. But that is a bit strong, and somewhat of a myth.

Factually, modern premium bullets penetrate deeper and expand more reliably than any other time in history. This has come to the forefront for small calibers like the .223 and the recent resurgence of popularity of the .243 Winchester. It’s not about the laws of physics anymore, but rather that of the technological advancements of bullet technology that has developed more high-tech calibers that are better fitted for different types of hunted game animals. Therefore, such developments can be applied to the .223 as a suitable deer cartridge.

Hence, the .223 does garner a place as a deer cartridge, albeit limited to the size of the deer hunted. The cartridge depends on velocity to deliver deep penetration and considerable tissue damage. The key element though, is to make sure the impact velocities are high. Basically that means keeping shots at deer to about 150 yards. If that distance is surpassed, the velocity drops below the level needed for energetic bullet expansion.

What the .223 Remington is also revered for is its shootability. It is a small round that doesn’t pack a noticeable punch. Hence, it delivers light recoil, which enhances accuracy. The .223 produces only 2- to 4-ftlbs. of recoil energy (about a half dozen times less than a .270). Like a .243, it is best used by new or young hunters and even small-bodied adults.

Today, the .223 is touted as a small deer cartridge. Meaning